Brunswick and Parkville - February Q and As

3 February 2026

Key information

We're removing 8 more dangerous and congested level crossings on the Upfield Line from Albion Street, Brunswick, to Park Street, Parkville, improving safety, reducing congestion, and improving local connections.

These crossings need to go because:

About 71,000 vehicles travel through these crossings each weekday
Boom gates are down for up to 30 minutes of the morning peak (7am to 9am)
Up to 16 trains pass through these crossings during the morning peak (7am to 9am)
Since 2016, 36 near-misses have been recorded.

Removing these 8 level crossing will add to the 5 already removed on the Upfield Line.

A 2.1 km rail bridge will be built over the roads.

We’ll build new accessible stations in Brunswick’s north and south connecting passengers with the places they live, study, work and enjoy – including RMIT University, community and educational facilities and vibrant retail and dining precincts.

We’ll also upgrade the Upfield Bike Path delivering separated walking and cycling path and create 2 MCGs worth of open space beneath the rail line.

The 2.1km rail bridge will rise near Tinning Street in Brunswick and will lower near Park Street in Parkville.

Further details about the rail bridge will be available in the coming years as the design progresses.

While the construction schedule and methodology are still being finalised early works will begin in 2028.

Construction is expected to start in 2029. The level crossings will be gone and 2 new stations open in 2030.

We are in the early planning stages of the Brunswick and Parkville level crossing removal project, with design, planning and and site investigations underway.

Over the coming years, extensive engineering work and technical assessments will continue to develop the project designs and construction methods.

Concept designs will be released with further phases of consultation in 2027.

We’ll release concept designs in 2027 and ask for your feedback. The community will have the opportunity to help refine key elements of the design like walking and cycling connections, landscaping, open space and station precinct design.

Removing level crossings is often the essential first step before other transport network upgrades can take place.

Getting rid of these crossings will also improve local traffic flow. By making Brunswick and Parkville boom gate free we're eliminating half an hour of boom gate down time in the morning peak alone, saving travel time for 71,000 drivers each weekday.

The Brunswick and Parkville level crossing removal project is critical to enabling future upgrades of the Upfield Line.

Project approvals

Under the Victorian Environment Effects Act 1978 (EE Act), we're required to assess potential impacts of the project and consider a range of environmental, heritage, social and economic matters.

As the project has the potential to meet two combined referral criteria, heritage and visual amenity, it's been referred to the Minister for Planning to determine whether an Environment Effects Statement (EES) is required.

The Minister for Planning will review the referral and decide if the project requires further assessment under the EE Act or if existing legislation and approval processes are sufficient to manage the potential environmental effects of the project.

These processes are an important step in shaping great communities, while minimising local impacts.

An EES referral is a submission to the Minister for Planning that includes a description of a proposed project and a preliminary assessment of the potential environmental effects.

There are individual criteria and combined criteria to determine whether a project requires a referral. Learn more about Environment effects statements in Victoria.

The Brunswick and Parkville level crossing removal project has the potential to meet the combined referral criteria, as it has 2 types of potential effects on the environment – potential impacts to heritage places and visual amenity.

The referral covers a wide range of topics, including:

An overview of the project and approach to urban design.
The project area, including areas that may be used for construction or to store materials.
A description of existing environmental conditions.
Assessments of construction and project effects in relation to ecology, heritage, planning, noise and vibration and traffic.
How we’ll plan to manage and mitigate any potential for significant environmental effects.

All EES projects and referrals are available on the Department of Transport and Planning website.

We’re prepared an information booklet that outlines the information in the EES referral, more information about the project, the planning process, design updates, working through construction, sustainability and the next steps. You can read the booklet on our website.

The Minister’s decision will be available on the Department of Transport and Planning website.

Planning approvals are an integral part of every level crossing removal project.

We work with the Department of Transport and Planning, Heritage Victoria, Environmental Protection Authority Victoria, the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action and Registered Aboriginal Parties to ensure we meet all regulatory standards and requirements.

Level crossing removal projects planning approvals typically include:

Planning approval under Clause 52.03 is required to conduct project works associated with the Brunswick and Parkville level crossing removals. Clause 52.03 is the commonly used planning approval process for infrastructure projects and has been used for previous rail projects. Planning approval for the project will be sought under Clause 52.03 of the Victoria Planning Provisions for the Merri-bek and Melbourne planning schemes. As part of future planning consultation, community and key stakeholders can make submissions on planning matters about the project. All submissions received will be summarised in a consultation report to inform the Minister for Planning’s assessment of the project.

Cultural Heritage Management Plan (CHMP) approval. CHMPs assess potential project impacts on Aboriginal cultural heritage and outline measures to be taken before, during and after project works. Our team will prepare a CHMP under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 (Vic) to be approved by the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation Registered Aboriginal Party.

Approval under Heritage Act 2017 (Victoria) protects and conserves the cultural heritage of Victoria and manages changes to places of historical significance. As we will be working in areas listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, we’ll seek the required approvals from Heritage Victoria.

Approval under the Major Transport Project Facilitation Act 2009 (MTPFA) allows us to use a single process for assessments, approvals and delivery of major projects. This helps to streamline major projects that are deemed to be of significant economic, social or environmental importance to the state.

These approvals will be in place before early works start from 2028.

Rail bridge and accessible station design

The 2.1 km rail bridge will rise near Tinning Street in Brunswick and will lower near Park Street in Parkville.

The rail bridge is expected to be from 5 to 6 m high, from ground level to the underside of the bridge, with heights varying due to the natural changes in ground level throughout the area.

Any screening on top of the rail bridge will add to the overall height.

Dawson Street and Brunswick Road have a minimum clearance of 5.4 metres under the rail bridge. This is guided by VicRoads standards to ensure safe passage for all vehicles.

All other streets where we’ll remove the level crossings are municipal roads and have a minimum clearance of 4.8 m under the rail bridge.

You can read more about the bridge design and what we consider during the planning phase in our information booklet.

The new rail bridge will be supported by concrete piers and the bridge will made from large L-shaped concrete beams. When these L-beams are connected together they’re called U-troughs.

Once this is complete, ballast (rock) is laid within the U-trough, and track and signalling works are undertaken before trains travel in the new bridge.

Station locations

The new northern station will:

be centrally located between West Street and Hope Street
provide access to West Street and Orient Grove via a northern entrance and to Hope Street via a southern entrance
connect passengers to Sydney Road via Florence Street and Hope Street.

The new southern station will:

be centrally located between Dawson Street and Union Street
provide access to Dawson Street via a northern entrance and to Railway Place and Union Street via a southern entrance
connect passengers to RMIT University, Brunswick Secondary College, Brunswick Baths, Sydney Road, Brunswick Library, Brunswick Town Hall and Balam Balam Place.

Extensive technical and engineering assessments determined the locations for the new elevated stations.

To provide equitable access to train services for all passengers, including residents and people travelling to Brunswick for work, study or play, there will be approximately 1 kilometre between each station, from Moreland Station in the north to Royal Park Station in the south.

This spacing also avoids creating future rail bottlenecks - ensuring more services can be added to the Upfield Line with consistent train speeds and stopping distances along the corridor.

To ensure Brunswick's new stations meet accessibility standards, the new locations allow for the platforms to be built on a straight section of track.

The new stations will be fully accessible for passengers of all abilities, with capacity to serve the community for the years ahead.

In 2024, as a part of the first phase of community consultation, respondents told us that they mostly travel around Brunswick and Parkville by walking or riding a bike and more than 80% of survey respondents get to the stations on foot.

Each elevated station will offer convenient access with two entrances, one at each end of the 160 m platforms, making them highly accessible to the surrounding areas – compared to the current exits at stations in Brunswick.

We’ll improve station access for all as we're transforming the Upfield Bike Path, delivering new separated walking and cycling paths from Moreland Road in the north, to Park Street in the south.

The walking and cycling paths will run through the station precincts and will offer a safer, easier and more direct route to the stations. These new paths will meet modern standards and will be accessible for everyone, providing more space for people using mobility aids, prams and riding bikes and scooters.

The modern stations will have the capacity to serve today’s passengers and future community growth.

We're working with the Department of Transport and Planning to ensure new stations, active transport connections and new open space are considered by Brunswick and Coburg Activity Centres program. To learn more visit engage.vic.gov.au/activity-centres-program.

At the new stations, to minimise overlooking, architectural screening at least 1.8 metres high will be installed.

Along the rail bridge, architectural screening at least 1.2 m high will be installed to minimise views from the train into homes and backyards.

The rail bridge will minimise impacts from noise as it will be built out of u-shaped concrete bridge segments, known as u-troughs, in which the train sits.

Using u-troughs reduces the noise generated by trains moving along the track, as the train wheels and tracks sit within the concrete structure.

Much of the noise experienced from rail operations also comes from train wheels running along the tracks, and older rail lines with imperfections in the track can be noisier than newer lines that will be installed as part of the project.

Removing the level crossings also means no more ringing bells from the boom gates and trains no longer needing to sound their horns as they travel over the roads with a level crossing.

Trains will continue to use their horns for safety purposes when arriving and departing stations as this is a Metro Trains operational safety requirement.

Where possible, speakers at the stations will be positioned to minimise noise beyond the platforms and station concourse and the volume will be adjusted at night when the background noise levels are lower.

Noise levels from the station, including the noise from the public address system, will comply with the thresholds set out in the EPA’s Victoria State Environment Protection Policy (The Noise Protocol, May 2021).

As part of the project design and development, we use noise monitoring equipment to record the current noise levels experienced by residents at different points along the rail line. Using the existing noise levels as a baseline, we then prepare noise modelling to predict the future noise levels at the end of the project, when trains will be running.

These predictions are assessed against a standard called the Victorian Passenger Rail Infrastructure Noise Policy 2013 (PRINP).

Indicative designs and noise modelling show for most people along the rail line, noise will be improved.

We will continue to undertake further noise modelling to ensure noise levels adhere to the PRINP.

This project is in the early stages of development and we are working to develop the designs and further our understanding of the potential impacts along the rail line.

To stay up to date, subscribe to email updates on our website and under Upfield Line select Brunswick.

We heard the community want station designs that fit in the local area and are sustainable.

We understand how complex and narrow the rail corridor is along the line. The team is working with designers experienced in designing rail bridges, elevated stations and rail infrastructure in complex environments such as the narrow rail corridor to minimise impacts of the new stations, where possible.

You also told us you want more greenery and landscaping. The new stations will be located within 2 MCGs worth of new community open space, including new trees and landscaping, that will be shaped by consultation with the local community.

The feedback you shared about what you love about Brunswick and Parkville and how you move around the area, along with engineering requirements and technical assessments, will inform concept designs that will be released in 2027.

You'll have more opportunities to help shape key elements of the design, like walking and cycling connections, accessibility, landscaping, open space and station precinct design in future phases of community consultation.

Preserving Brunswick and Parkville’s heritage is an important element of our project design. There are places rich in heritage around the project area including:

Royal Park and Royal Parade
Former Coburg Railway Line, which includes Brunswick and Jewell stations
Former Brunswick Gas and Coke Company Retort House (Lux Foundry) and
Former Cable Tram Engine House and Tram substation.

We'll work to ensure our design and construction methodologies preserve the historical significance of these places.

Brunswick and Jewell stations are Victorian heritage listed and will be retained and repurposed. How the heritage-listed buildings will be repurposed will be determined in the coming years as project development progresses. Anstey Station is not Victorian heritage-listed and will be removed to enable more community open space and provide improved sightlines for people moving through the area.

We have undertaken extensive consultation with Heritage Victoria and will continue to work in partnership for the best possible heritage outcomes.

Travel connections

To understand which style of crossing is most appropriate for each road, investigations including movement and place assessments, road safety reviews, traffic modelling and a review of standards of local and international guidelines were carried out. These investigations also considered the traffic volume, existing road conditions, how the roads are used and bus routes.

Technical specialists recommended crossing types following a review of the information collected.

Signalised crossings are recommended for:

Albion Street
Victoria Street
Dawson Steet
Brunswick Road
Park Street.

For Albion and Victoria streets, signalised crossings are suggested due to the bus routes which run along these roads. While for Dawson Street, Brunswick Road and Park Street, the high traffic volume indicates the safest options are signalised crossings. We're exploring options to optimise signalling at these crossings for bike riders.

Zebra crossings are recommended for:

Hope Street
Albert Street
Union Street.

These roads have lower speeds and lower volumes of traffic. The data suggests these crossings would benefit from a raised zebra crossing with pedestrian and bike rider priority.

These findings are preliminary and we’ll refine plans as planning and design works continue. We’ll work with the Department of Transport and Planning and Merri-bek City Council and the City of Melbourne to ensure the most appropriate crossings are used for each road.

We'll also continue investigating options to provide optimised crossings for bike riders along the new separated bike path, to minimise wait times at crossings.

We’ll lower Park Street slightly to allow for a 4.8 m clearance under the rail bridge.

The service road and footpaths on both sides of Park Street will remain at level. There will be changes to on-street parking during construction with a minor loss of parking following the completion of works. Further design work is required to confirm the number of on-street parking spaces that will be impacted. We'll work closely with local residents as these details are refined.

Working through construction

To build the rail bridge and new elevated stations, there will be times when trains will not run on the Upfield Line.

Part of our project planning includes developing methodologies for fast and efficient construction to minimise the impact to passengers and train services.

Typically, there will be a range of short-term closures of the line which we aim to do during off-peak times, like weekends and after hours, with buses replacing trains during these times. When the Upfield Line is closed we'll work 24 hours a day to complete works as quickly as possible and to minimise disruptions and impacts for passengers along the Upfield Line.

Later in the project, we'll need to close the Upfield Line to complete construction and get trains running on the new bridge and to the new stations. During these works buses will replace trains for up to 3 months.

We’re continuing to investigate ways to keep people moving during this time and we’ll be able to share more in the coming years.

While typically low floor rail replacement buses use Sydney Road, the project is exploring cross-line bussing. This means bussing passengers to neighbouring lines such as the Craigieburn and Mernda lines, so that fewer busses will use Sydney Road.

Low floor replacement bus services are generally used and can provide wheelchair access via ramps or directly from the bus stop, depending on the stop location. During previous closures of the Upfield Line, we’ve also had wheelchair accessible taxis on standby from 6am to 9pm at major interchanges. Outside of staff hours, passengers can call the closest staffed station to organise an accessible taxi. Passengers can also contact Transport Victoria to book an accessible taxi in advance while buses replace trains on a section of their journey.

We'll also work with Yarra Trams to investigate the possibility of running additional trams while trains are not operating.

With a project of this size and working within a narrow rail corridor, we’ll need to close sections of the Upfield Bike Path for an extended period of time. This is for the safety of the community and crews while we build the new rail bridge.

Signed, temporary cycling detours will be in place to provide alternative routes during closures and we’ll continue to investigate other measures to get people where they need to go, as safely as possible.

Preliminary options for detour routes have been developed to balance impact to the overall network and the most optimal route available. These detours are subject to change. We understand this is a heavily used active transport corridor and will work with Merri-bek City Council, City of Melbourne, the Bicycle Network Group and the local community to support active transport users during construction.

To safely work on and near roads, there will be times where we’re required to close roads and lanes. We’ll always work to maintain access to properties, but if impacts are unavoidable, we’ll contact residents and business owners ahead of any upcoming changes.

When it comes time to remove the rail tracks from the road, we’ll need to remove the existing road surface, asphalt a new road and build new kerbs.

Where possible, we’ll stagger road disruptions around the project to ensure people can still travel through the area.

Living near construction

We’ve undertaken noise monitoring along the rail corridor and at the level crossings to identify potential noise impacts of our works and proactively work with affected residents and businesses to minimise noise impacts during construction.

We’ll seek to minimise noise and vibration by:

scheduling works during standard construction hours as much as possible, generally from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday and 7am to 1pm, on Saturdays
using quieter reversing alarms on our vehicles and machines
offering respite and relocation to eligible residents during noisy night works, where noise thresholds are exceeded
keeping our machinery in good working order.

During our works, the project team monitors noise and vibration levels to make sure they are within the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) noise control guidelines.

Eligible property owners will be invited to have a free and independent property condition survey completed at their property so that we are able to assess any potential changes at the end of project works.

We understand that major construction does have an impact on the community. We'll work to mitigate this where possible. In the lead up to and during construction, the project team will work closely with residents to understand any measures which may need to be taken to minimise the impact of works. This can include proactive offers of respite or relocation.

Respite can be offered to residents; this may include noise cancelling headphones or vouchers to activities providing respite periods.
Relocation is offered to eligible residents to provide alternative accommodation for sleeping.

The project has a dedicated team who manages respite and relocations. This team works to determine anticipated impacts from works and eligible properties for proactive respite and relocation.

When major construction starts in 2029, our team will work individually with eligible households to provide detailed information about the respite and relocation offered and to discuss their needs. Our team will get in touch with eligible residents through email and letterbox notifications, telephone calls and doorknocking where possible.

During works, respite and relocation requests are assessed on a case-by-case basis, depending on the nature and extent of works occurring on site.

Lighting is sometimes required at night for the safety of the community and our workers. To limit temporary spill from lighting towers, we’ll:

keep lighting to the minimum necessary for safe access or construction
direct light towers away from homes, businesses and public buildings.

Managing and treating soil is a standard part of the construction process. We responsibly manage our worksites to keep communities healthy and protect the environment.

During planning, qualified specialists test the soil and develop a management plan. All soil handled and removed from the site will be managed in line with the stringent protocols of the Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA).

We’ll work closely with the EPA, and all works will comply with the Environment Protection Act 2017 and all relevant environmental guidelines.

Construction may generate dust and other air emissions.

We'll use a range of measures to reduce and manage dust which may include:

air quality monitoring
watering unsealed roads and surfaces
using water carts to spray and suppress dust
limiting speeds
covering truck loads and stockpiles.

Before and during construction, the project team monitors noise and air quality to make sure levels comply with the requirements of the EPA’s Civil construction, building and demolition guide (Publication 1834).

Trees and parks

We know trees, vegetation and green space are important to local communities and support vital biodiversity along the rail corridor. Minimising vegetation removal is considered in both project design and during construction.

Initial investigations show that some trees and shrubs will need to be trimmed or removed. As the project is in the early development stage, we’ll work to minimise these impacts and retain as many trees as possible.

As part of our planning, independent arborists and environmental experts will conduct comprehensive assessments of every tree and all vegetation within the project area. With their advice, we'll refine our designs and use construction methods that retain as many trees and as much vegetation as possible.

As part of the project, we’ll plant 2 trees for every one removed, with planting taking place when construction is complete.

A flora and fauna assessment for threatened species has been undertaken in the project area, which spans from Royal Park in the south, to Moreland Road in the north.

Potential foraging or habitat opportunities for the Gang-gang Cockatoo, Grey-headed Flying-fox, Little Eagle, Powerful Owl, Swift Parrot, Square-tailed Kite and Tussock Skink were identified within the area, though only the Gang-gang Cockatoo, Grey-headed Flying-fox and Little Eagle have been observed by wildlife specialists.

Investigations show any potential impacts are expected to be minor, with the project area generally limited to foraging opportunities for these species, with no breeding or roosting recorded.

Before tree and vegetation removal, we work with fauna handlers who inspect trees and vegetation and safely rehome any fauna we may encounter. These fauna handlers are also on site during any vegetation removal works to safely relocate any wildlife we may encounter unexpectedly.

As part of the project, we’ll plant 2 trees for every one removed, with planting taking place when construction is complete.

We'll minimise impacts to parklands wherever possible.

Royal Park is where the rail bridge will begin to rise and construction will take place in the rail corridor which is VicTrack land. We’ll also need to use a small section of VicTrack land in Royal Park between the train and tram line for laydown and site access. We may need to undertake some tree removal and trimming to safely carry out works. The project team is working to minimise the impact on vegetation as we develop the designs. We will also be planting new trees, shrubs and grasses in the area as part of the project.

At Bulleke-bek Park, we’ll need to temporarily close a portion of the park to safely construct the rail bridge and new northern station. We’ll minimise use and impacts to the park as much as possible. Any areas of the Bulleke-Bek Park impacted by construction will be rectified and the park reinstated upon completion of works. Once the elevated rail bridge is constructed, the barrier of the rail line will be removed, improving east and west connections in this precinct. The area will also be enhanced with new open space under and on either side of the rail bridge.

During construction we may temporarily use the western portion of Clifton Park to store construction materials, vehicles and machinery.

Having equipment, machinery, vehicles, construction materials and site offices close to the project minimises the length and impacts of disruptions for the whole community, including fewer trucks on local roads and shorter disruptions for passengers on the Upfield Line.

Any areas impacted by construction will be rectified and reinstated upon completion of works. We'll work closely with impacted community groups to ensure their activities can continue locally.

During construction we may temporarily use the western portion of Clifton Park to store construction materials, vehicles and machinery.

All areas of Clifton Park used by the project will be rectified and the park reinstated upon completion of works.

We'll work closely with impacted community groups to ensure their activities can continue locally.

Land and property

The type of engineering solution applied to a level crossing removal project, for example an elevated rail design, may directly impact residents living next to the railway line. In these instances, a Voluntary Purchase Scheme provides a process for eligible property owners to sell their property to the State, should they choose. Specific criteria are used to determine eligibility.

The Level Crossing Removal Project has used a Voluntary Purchase Scheme on previous projects, and the same criteria will be applied to the Brunswick project to identify any eligible homes.

A Voluntary Purchase Scheme is expected to be offered to eligible residential properties in line with our existing criteria, however eligibility will not be confirmed until final design, when we have key measurements.

We will proactively contact eligible property owners once our detailed design work is complete. This is expected in 2028.

For more information about a Voluntary Purchase Scheme, visit our website.